Metis Carroll

Countess Metis of France (Ancient Greek: Μῆτις Mêtis, lit. 'wisdom', 'skill', or 'craft'), also known as Metis François (French: Métisse François), or more commonly as Metis Carroll (before her marriage); was a British-Winian landscaper, painter, and biography writer. She was a granddaughter of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia, and Alexander's wife, Grand Duchess Marie Nikolaevna of Winia. In addition, she was also the eldest niece of Grand Duchess Kendrick Alexandrovich of Winia. Her early life was marked by the death of her aunt (Marie Carroll) and uncle (John Carroll), with many of her eleventh male cousins being banished from courtly life by her parents when they remarried to commoners in 1902. Lady Metis and all of her full-blooded siblings, were raised alongside their half-siblings at court (something would later cause a scandel); Countess Elisabeth Carroll (a distant cousin of Lady Metis) considered Metis's birth as the "starting point" of Grace's many affairs with many of her distant cousins (usually female in nature). Lady Juliet Henriette Carroll later wrote of her distant niece, "woe is the flowers that bloom but whom better to snip them than her? A darling flower, dangerous to touch but fulfilling to watch". Caroline, Christiane, and Louise (12th cousins of Metis) considered the affair to be "improper", though they also disliked Metis's husband with a great fervor.

Early life
Metis was born in Rhoden, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont and was the eldest child and eldest daughter of Grace Carroll, Countess of Lancaster and John Carroll, Duke of Winterbreath; she was conceived as part of an affair but was passed off as Grace and Luke's eldest legimente child and first-born daughter. Soon after her birth, John`s wife; Miriam of Hesse and by Rhine learned of the affair, as well as the child that had been born out of wedlock: Metis and decided to help conceal the affair by passing her off as her niece. Throughout her early childhood, Metis was never told of her true father (John Carroll), though her aunt (Miriam Carroll) would heavily and suspiciously hint at an affair.

Proposed Matches
Princess Miriam heavily favoured Metis and she wanted Metis to become either a Princess of Hesse and by Rhine (which would see her banished from court), or she wanted Metis to marry an 11th cousin of Metis`s own mother (Pierre François); who was a highly eligible bachelor. Even her mother favoured Pierre and even in a letter to Pierre`s parents, Romeo and Juliet; referred to him as "sweet Pierre", as a form of endearment. Her grandparents (Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia, and Alexander's wife, Grand Duchess Marie Nikolaevna of Winia) were less eager about the marriage prospect, instead suggesting a Grand Duchess/Grand Duke of Russia or Winia - Metis however adored Pierre